DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – … COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS...

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – 237

Distribution : daily 9725+ copies worldwide 29-08-2009

Number 237 *** COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS *** Saturday 29-08-2009 News reports received from readers and Internet News articles copied from various news sites.

The EMPIRE of JR Shipping seen at Brunsbüttel after the Kiel-Canal transit. Photo : Michael Brakhage (c)

Your feedback is important to me so please drop me an email if you have any photos or articles that may be of interest to the maritime interested people at sea and ashore

PLEASE SEND ALL PHOTOS / ARTICLES TO :

[email protected] you don't like to receive this bulletin anymore, kindly send an e-mail with the word “unsubscribe” in

the subject line to [email protected], after receipt of this e-mail I will remove you from the distribution list soon as possible



EVENTS, INCIDENTS & OPERATIONS

The Costa Concordia and MSC Fantasia leaving the port of La Goulette seen from Costa Dorada Photo : Hans Boeschoten (c)

Pirate attack on Italian ship With piracy incidents off Somalia likely to increase as the monsoon season ends, an attack on an Italian ship yesterday may well be a taste of things to come. An EU NAVFOR ship and helicopter intervened yesterday when an Italian general cargo ship came under pirate attack. A South Korean navy helicopter from CTF 151 also cooperated in the response to an emergency call from MV Southern Cross, which is managed by Rimorchiatori Laziali of Naples. The attack was successfully thwarted by the Southern Cross herself, says EU NAVFOR. The Norwegian warship HNOMS Fridtjof Nansen received an emergency call late morning yesterday from Southern Cross saying she was under attack from pirates. The Southern Cross was transiting the Gulf of Aden, some 80 nautical miles south of Al Mukkala. HNOMS Fridtjof Nansen and the helicopter of the South Korean warship Daejoyoung from CTF 151 responded directly to the situation.



While the Fridtjof Nansen and the helicopter were approaching, the skiff with five people on board broke off the attack after having fired several shots at the pilot house of Southern Cross and escaped to the south. The EU NAVFOR German warship FGS Bremen launched a helicopter to join the search for the pirate skiff. In the afternoon FGS Bremen's helicopter detected a suspicious skiff. HNOMS Fridtjof Nansen launched her fast rhibs with her boarding team and conducted a boarding. Weapons were seen thrown overboard. The skiff was released at dusk.

The TOPEKA seen enroute Rotterdam Photo : Ton Grootenboer (c)

Court rule: No extra compensation to Danica White crew

No extra compensation was awarded to three crew members from the Danica White after a court case in Copenhagen. The Seaman’s Union (3F) had sued the owner H. Folmer & Co on behalf of three members of the crew from Danica White for extra compensation of DKK 1.2 million, but got nothing after the court ruling. The union claimed that the owner was responsible for the crew members being captured and held by Somalia pirates in the summer of 2007. The court argued that the owner was not responsible for their situation when they were held hostage, but found some negligeince that led to their capture. However the judge ruled against the plaintiffs, two of the ship's three ABs



and the mate. The owner H. Folmer & Co has already compensated the crew members with money and clothes as well as support of the families ashore. It is expected that theruling will be appealed. Source : ShipGaz

Baltic Dry Index rises on 1.6% capesize demand

The Baltic Dry Index, a measure of shipping costs for commodities, posted its first gain in seven days as rates climbed on increased demand for capesize ships. The index tracking transport costs on international trade routes rose 39 points, or 1.6 per cent, to 2,427 points, according to the Baltic Exchange. It remains 28 per cent lower this month. Hire rates for capesizes, the biggest vessels in the index, rose 4.6 per cent to snap six consecutive declines. 'It seems to have been an accumulation of cargo, probably Brazil to China, as a trigger,' David Webb, a director at Arrow Chartering Ltd, said. There has been 'a bit more cargo enquiry'. Rates to ship to China from Tubarao, where Vale SA, the biggest iron-ore producer, makes exports, rose 4.1 per cent, the most in almost two weeks. China is the largest user of the steel-making material. Rival miner BHP Billiton Ltd booked three capesize cargoes into China this morning, Omar Nokta, head of research at Dahlman Rose & Co in New York, said in a note on Wednesday. Source : Bloomberg

The PELAGOS seen in Rotterdam-Europoort Photo : Henk Dekker ©

Stowaways found dead in ship off Durban In an as yet unconfirmed report we have heard of a number of stowaways being discovered on a ship at anchor outside Durban harbour. Four men were apparently discovered hiding in the rudder well outside the ship, having travelled from the last port in that position. Two of the men were found to have already died of exposure. PORTS & SHIPS is aware of another ship carrying containers which had up to nine stowaways who were discovered last week also hiding in the ship’s rudder well. The men were discovered after the vessel entered port by which time they had travelled for more than a week hiding in that precarious position. Source : Ports.co.za



KNRM Dordrecht krijgt nieuwe reddingboot Vandaag (Zaterdag 29 augustus) wordt de nieuwe reddingboot van de Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM) KBW 1910 gedoopt. De KNRM heeft de KBW 1910 kunnen aanschaffen dankzij een genereuze schenking

van Koninklijke Boskalis Westminster nv. De reddingboot is om die reden ook vernoemd naar deze bekende, Nederlandse, maritieme onderneming. Het jaar 1910 is het oprichtingsjaar van Boskalis. Zowel Boskalis Westminster als de KNRM zijn Koninklijke organisaties. De KBW 1910 zal dan ook letterlijk gekroond worden. Foto : Piet Sinke (c) De KBW 1910 is de tweede reddingboot van de nieuwe Nikolaas-klasse. Deze nieuwe reddingbootklasse is het resultaat van de langgekoesterde wens een boot te ontwikkelen, specifiek voor gebruik op de ruime binnenwateren. De Nikolaas wordt na de Arie Visser (18,80 meter), de Valentijn (11 meter) en de Atlantics (diverse

afmetingen) de vierde standaardklasse van de KNRM-vloot. De klasse is vernoemd naar de eerste reddingboot van deze klasse, de Nikolaas Wijsenbeek (reddingstation Huizen). De doop van de KBW 1910 wordt verricht door mevrouw M. Verhoeven, echtgenote van de Groepsdirecteur van Koninklijke Boskalis Westminster nv, de heer F.A. Verhoeven. De keuze voor deze nieuwe reddingboot werd bepaald door een aantal specifieke kwaliteiten. Ten eerste de (geredden)capaciteit. Op het binnenwater varen onder andere watertaxi’s en fast ferry’s. Die schepen hebben relatief veel mensen aan boord en vragen om een reddingboot met een capaciteit van 20 personen, exclusief bemanning. De KNRM spreekt bewust over ‘capaciteit’ en niet over ‘gereddencapaciteit’, omdat die capaciteit minstens zo vaak nodig zal zijn voor het vervoeren van collega-hulpdiensten: GGD, brandweer en duikers. Ten tweede biedt de nieuwe klasse hoge snelheid (34-35 knopen) en een grote trekkracht. Op het binnenwater bestaat de hulpverlening veelal uit het lostrekken en slepen van jachten. Daarnaast wilde de KNRM een waterjetaandrijving, vanwege de goede manoeuvreerbaarheid en de veiligheid voor de drenkelingen. En als laatste het kostenaspect. Deze reddingboot is goedkoper dan een Atlantic-type en vergt minder onderhoud. De reddingboot is gebouwd door Mare Safety AS uit Ulsteinvik in Noorwegen. De boot van het type AV 900 is al ruim 210 keer gebouwd en heeft zijn sporen verdiend. Op een aantal zaken is de boot aangepast aan de eisen van de KNRM. Zo is er een vierde zitplaats, navigatieapparatuur, een tweede marifoon en radar geplaatst. Reddingstation Dordrecht



Het KNRM-reddingstation Dordrecht is in 2008 voortgekomen uit de Dordtse Reddings Brigade (DRB). Dordrecht werd daarmee het 41e reddingstation van de KNRM. Het reddingstation heeft twee locaties. Dordrecht-Zuid richt zich op het Hollands Diep en de Biesbosch en bevindt zich op de splitsing van de Dordtse Kil, Amer en het Hollands Diep. De locatie in de binnenstad, Dordrecht-Noord, richt zich op het Wanti, een deel Biesbosch en rivieren als de Noord en Beneden Merwede. De KBW 1910 wordt gestationeerd in Dordrecht-Zuid en vervangt daar de brigadeboot DRB 49 die verplaatst wordt naar Dordrecht-Noord.

ALSO INTERESTED IN THIS FREE MARITIME NEWSCLIPPINGS ? PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE :

WWW.MAASMONDMARITIME.COMAND REGISTER FOR FREE !

Southampton name removed from QE2 The QE2 will no longer bear the name of its former home port Southampton. The city's name has been replaced with the liner's temporary home port of Port Vila by its new owners, United Arab Emirates real estate developer Nakheel. Cunard sold the ship for £50m to Nakheel, which is now in talks to move it to Cape Town to become a hotel in time for the 2010 football World Cup. The developer said international law required the removal of Southampton since it was now registered in Vanuatu. The QE2 left the Drydocks World-Dubai, where it was transferred to in July for routine marine surveys in compliance with international standards, last Saturday in preparation for sea trials. A spokesman for Nakheel said: "Although she will no longer be taking passengers or operating as a cruise ship, the registration documents will state her class as being 'a passenger/cruise ship'. "To conform to international law, the name 'Southampton' has been painted over on the stern, although the letters remain attached, and her temporary home port of Port Vila has now been painted underneath. "To comply with the terms of the sale contract, the Cunard brand has also been removed from the side of the ship." Nakheel had planned to refurbish the ship and open it as

a floating hotel in Dubai but that has been put on hold. The QE2 will now go to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, where there is a shortage of hotel rooms. Nakheel, which has a financial interest in the South African port, said the ship would be staying in Cape Town for 18 months. Source : BBC

Zim Q2 loss deepens to $186 million



Zim Integrated Shipping Services, the troubled Israeli ocean container carrier, reported a second quarter loss of $186 million compared with $42 million deficit a year ago, swelling first half losses to $305 million. Revenue in the three months to June 30 shrunk by over 50 percent to $543 million on lower cargo volumes and weaker freight rates. Parent company Israel Corp. announced it will pump $60 million into the carrier as part of a $350 million recovery program. The move came only a day after Tel Aviv securities regulators disallowed a key vote by Bank Leumi, an 18 percent Israel Corp. shareholder, in favor of a $100 million capital injection, because it was an “interested” party. Israel Corp. said the cash infusion “is an important step towards ensuring the financial stabilization of Zim.” Israel Corp. also is understood to have secured cuts of $150 million in charter payments by Zim for ships owned by the Ofer family, Israel Corp.’s controlling shareholders. The oil-and-chemicals conglomerate said it is in “intensive” negotiations with banks and financial institutions over restructuring Zim’s debt. The carrier also is culling its chartered fleet of 61 ships, postponing deliveries of new ships, modifying its liner services and seeking lower charter payments. “We are confident that these actions together with the shoots of economic recovery, as a result of improvements in global trade, will help the continued recovery of the company,” said Zim President and CEO Rafi Danieli. Source: joc.com

CASUALTY REPORTING



VENEZUELAN FRUIT BOAT SINKS Between Venezuela and the harbor of Willemstad (Curaçao) many Venezuelan fruit boats, locally called little barques, ply the Caribbean. These boats vary from 40 to 50 feet in length, are generally built of wood and powered by a noisy diesel engine. Photo : Dr. Dick Braakman. © On August 27 the Carmen Rimilla gave a may-day call 9 nautical miles from the harbor and the RCC of Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard sent their patrol vessel Panter and CITRO (the volunteer Sea Rescue organization working in close

relationship with the Coast Guard), sent their fast lifeboat Griend with pumps on board. Both rescue vessels arrived almost simultaneously near the settling fruit boat.

Right Photo : Lili Kooijman © A CITRO volunteer with two pumps went on board and started the pumps, while the Panter made a towing connection and started to tow. During this operation the Carmen Rimilla suddenly capsized and the 10 Venezuelans and the CITRO volunteer found themselves in the sea amidst a lot of flotsam. The Griend rescued eight persons, including their own volunteer and the Panter the three others. All shipwrecked were taken to the Panter with superior accommodations and took them to Willemstad. One of the survivors was in a bad shape and the ambulance stood waiting at arrival to take the man to the St. Elizabeth hospital. Source: newspaper AMIGOE

NAVY NEWS Brazil's first nuclear submarine to be

launched in 2021



Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim confirmed Thursday that the country's first nuclear submarine jointly built by Brazil and France would be sent to water in 2021. Jobim told the parliament that though the Brazilian nuclear-driven submarine would be equipped with conventional weapons, it would considerably enhance the deterrent force of the Brazilian navy. Under the agreement signed by the two countries, France was to provide the core nuclear technologies about naval vessels to Brazil, which would help Brazil improve its R&D and production capabilities, Jobim added. Source : Chinaview

HNLMS Makkum seen arriving this yesterday morning (28.08.09) for a long weekend at Newcastle. Photo : Kevin Blair (c)

Escape for MoD after submarine deaths THE Ministry of Defence has escaped punishment from the Government's safety watchdog over the failings that led to a fatal explosion aboard a Westcountry submarine. Submariners Paul McCann, 32, and Anthony Huntrod, 20, were killed when a self-contained oxygen generator (SCOG) exploded on board Devonport-based, nuclear-powered HMS Tireless, during an exercise beneath the polar ice-caps. Another submariner, who was injured in the blast in the confined compartment in March 2007, used his bare hands to put out the flames. After a six-week inquest, a coroner ruled that Navy cost-cutting measures – among a catalogue of errors which allowed the units to be contaminated – contributed to the deaths. The Crown Prosecution Service had already ruled out taking the matter to court. Now, the Health and Safety Executive has said it will take no action against the Ministry of Defence (MoD). In a letter to the families it said it had "no powers to investigate, or take enforcement action in relation to health and safety risks that occur outside of Great Britain". Mr Huntrod's father, Alan Huntrod, and mother, Brenda Gooch, were appalled at the decision and have vowed to continue their fight to have someone held responsible. Mrs Gooch said: "We are disgusted and angered at what seems to be a total whitewash of any consideration for my son's health and safety within the workplace." Mr Huntrod said: "The biggest failings were on land in Britain so it is shocking that they say they can't bring charges." The Health and Safety At Work act only applies within Great Britain and some offshore installations. But, while neither the Royal Navy or the MoD can be taken to court, the HSE could have opted to pursue "Crown Censure". That can be issued where there is enough evidence to support a conviction in court, were the organisation a private firm liable to prosecution. An HSE spokesman said it "could not" investigate the fatal incident because it happened outside British waters. He said that, while there had been recognised "failings" with



the handling of the oxygen generators on shore, the "risk" only arose when they were operated at sea, putting the incident beyond the HSE's remit. "We know their families are disappointed," the spokesman added. "But there is not very much we can do." A Royal Navy Board of Inquiry, assisted by Nasa scientists, found the most likely cause of the explosion was contamination of the SCOG with oil, possibly made worse by cracking within the canister. The units were withdrawn from use following the explosion. In a damning report last year, the board detailed a catalogue of failures in the "acquisition, manufacture, transport, storage, stowage and logistics management" of the equipment. It found the MoD did not "at many levels" understand the dangers of a damaged oxygen unit. It also emerged that the faulty equipment may have previously been condemned, but was brought back into use after paperwork was altered. Earlier this month it emerged that the emergency equipment, used to boost oxygen levels on board submarines, is to be replaced across the entire fleet at a cost of £3.6 million. More than 8,000 units are to be disposed of and a new version introduced. The cost was disclosed in the latest annual report and accounts for the MoD, categorised under "Constructive Losses". Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has previously offered his "unreserved apologies" to the bereaved families for "avoidable failings, for which this department is responsible, which brought about this tragic incident". Source : thisiswesternmorningnews

Rusty submarine remains on the seabed The retired Russian nuclear powered submarine K-159 is still corroding on the bottom of the Barents Sea. Today, it is six years since the submarine sank near the Kildin Island north of Murmansk, an area important for both Russian and

Norwegian fisheries. K-159, a November-class submarine taken out of operation from the Soviet Northern fleet in the late 80-ties, sunk in bad weather while being towed. Nine sailors died when the sub went down, just before the inlet to the Kola Bay in the early morning of August 30, 2003. The submarine was on its way from the Gremikha naval base to the naval yard in Polyarny where it was supposed to be decommissioned. The two nuclear reactors onboard still contains the highly

radioactive spent nuclear fuel rods. Due to the lethal inventory of the reactors, and the on-going corroding process on the already rust hull, the submarine is considered to be one of the most dangerous objects in the Arctic oceans. After K-159 sunk in 2003, the Russian naval command promised to retrieve the submarine sometime in 2004. But 2004 past without lifting the sub, and since then new lifting plans have been postponed and again postponed. In 2007, BarentsObserver.com wrote that the St. Petersburg based design and engineering company Malakhit got the order to prepare the lifting plan. Bellona’s website wrote last year that in December 2007, the chief of environmental safety for the Russian military, Alevtin Yunak, promised at a meeting between the government and the Military Industrial Commission that the decision would be made by the beginning of 2008. Also in 2007, a British Ministry of Defense salvage team said they would examine the submarine’s two reactors before deciding whether it could be raised from the depth of 238 meters. Interviewed by The Sunday Times, project leader for salvage and marine at the British Defense Logistics Organization, Morgyn Davis, said there’s an element of fear of the unknown here. Davis’ team is consulting the Russian authorities regarding K-159. The first thing to do is to get down to the wreck in remote-control submersibles, cut the pontoon wires around the submarine and put sensors on to check for radiation. We think it is flooded with water, so raising it like that, from that depth, would be very difficult, Davis said to The Sunday Times.



As reported by BarentsObserver.com in 2007, radiation monitoring of the sunken submarine started within the framework of the Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation (AMEC). So far, no radiation leakages are reported from K-159. Source : BarentsObserver

SHIPYARD NEWS

www.tos.nl TOS Rotterdam (+31)10 – 436 62 93 E-Mail [email protected]

The 140 ton BP new AHTS ITC CHINOOK ( ex MARSOL HANDLER ) seen at JPNelson shipyard in Singapore, the ITC CHINOOK is a sister of the ITC CYCLONE ( ex MARSOL HAULER )

Photo : Piet Sinke ©

Keppel on track to deliver Lukoil FSO Singapore-based Keppel Singmarine is on track to deliver an ice class Floating Storage and Offloading vessel (FSO) to repeat Russian customer, LUKOIL- Nizhnevolzhskneft (Lukoil). The vessel was recently christened YURI KORCHAGIN at Keppel Singmarine’s sister yard, Caspian Shipyard Company (CSC) in Azerbaijan and was completed on-time and with zero Lost-Time Incidents (LTI) in over 2 million man-hours worked.



YURI KORCHAGIN will be the first ice-class FSO to be completed and deployed in the Caspian region. A new design by Keppel Singmarine’s technology arm, Marine Technology Development (MTD), the FSO can withstand ice conditions of minus 20 degrees Celsius and ice thickness of 0.6 metres. The ice-class FSO was first built as two separate hull sections at Keppel Singmarine in Singapore so that they could be towed through the Volga-Don river canal, known for its strict restrictions on height, width and draft. The two hull sections, living quarters, helideck and other equipment were transported 11,000 km to CSC where it was assembled and completed. This method of constructing a vessel in sections and then transporting them through the narrow Volga-Don River Canal into the Caspian Sea for completion is part of Keppel O&M’s expertise having previously built a jackup rig and a semisubmersible in CSC through this method. With oil storage design capacity of approximately 28,000 tonnes, the FSO will be deployed in the Yuri Korchagin field in the Russian Federation sector of the Caspian Sea. It is designed with provisions for forecastle deck structure for soft yoke mooring system, double bottom and double hull, a superstructure for 32 men and a cargo oil control station, machinery space and a helipad in the mid-section. Offloading of oil is preformed at the stern through a 146 metre long, 16 inches diameter floating hose at approximately 1,500 m3 per hour. The FSO is designed for uninterrupted services in receiving crude oil from a fixed ice-resistant platform (IFP-1) through single buoy mooring system, storage of oil onboard and finally offloading of oil to shuttle tankers. Source : The Motorship

Above seen the outfitting of Hartman Marines MV Eendracht which is in full progress, This week the 2, 120 Tons Liebherr cranes are installed onboard.

Photo : Piet Roskam (c)



Hindustan Shipyard to become naval yard Keen to increase the Indian Navy’s blue-water capability and improve self-sufficiency in defence production, the Ministry of Defence is to take over the Hindustan Shipyard at Visakhapatnam from the Union shipping ministry. The matter is before the Union Cabinet which has to resolve the issues on compensating the shipping ministry. The move was stalled during the earlier government’s tenure after former shipping minister T R Baalu had refused to let go of the shipyard, saying shipbuilding capacity would be hit considerably. An empowered group of ministers headed by Pranab Mukherjee now the finance minister, was formed last year to sort the issue. Currently, there are three defence shipyards, i.e. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and engineers(GRSE) near Kolkata, the Goa Shipyard and Mazagon Docks Ltd at Mumbai. The prime defence needs right now are for stealth frigates, aircraft carriers, submarines, and also anti-submarine warfare vessels. The GRSE is now building four anti-submarine warfare corvettes and 10 fast attack craft for the Navy, besides 88 fast interceptor boats for the home ministry. The deliveries of the ASWCs will start from 2012 and continue till 2015. Source : The Motorship

Steel cut for new dredger for Van Oord

The first piece of steel for Van Oord’s new large-scale self-propelled cutter suction dredger was cut at the IHC Merwede yard in Kinderdijk earlier this month.

Michel Twigt, Van Oord project team manager, performed the ceremony. The cutter suction dredger will be operational in late October 2011. The ceremony marks the start of the vessel's construction after detailed engineering. The vessel - which will have an overall length of 129m, a beam of 27.80m, and total installed power of 24,000kW - will be one of the most powerful and modern cutter suction dredgers in the world and the biggest cutter suction dredger in the Van Oord fleet. A name will be selected in the next few months. "Expanding our fleet with our first self-propelled cutter suction dredger is an important step for Van Oord,"



said Pieter van Oord, CEO. "Building this cutter suction dredger will reinforce our position in this key segment. This investment completes our EUR 1 billion investment programme for 2007 - 2011." Source : Dredging News Online

CANSI says 6m dwt of ship orders cancelled The China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) has announced that contracts for 172 newbuildings totaling 5,952,000 dwt during a 10-month period from October 2008 to July 2007 had been canceled in China. The finding was revealed in the State of Economic Operations by the Shipbuilding Industry for January-July 2009, a CANSI report released earlier this month. CANSI stated, however, the number of cancellations is based on an approximate estimate, which led Japan’s Kaiji Press to speculate that “the number is actually higher”. During July, deals for six newbuildings amounting to 342,000 dwt were annulled, according to CANSI. On that score, an association official commented, "The temp of cancellations is slowing". Source : Seatradeasia

ROUTE, PORTS & SERVICES Korean yards eying Gorgon bonanza

South Korean shipbuilders may end an eight-month dry spell with an influx of new orders after Australia approved the $42 billion Gorgon liquefied natural gas project. Hyundai Heavy, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Samsung Heavy Industries have bid for Gorgon contracts that may be worth as much as $6 billion according to local reports. Gorgon partners Chevron Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Exxon Mobil Corp. may award orders as early as next month for the project off the Western Australian coast. Oil companies including Chevron and Petroleo Brasileiro SA are venturing into deeper waters to seek reserves, increasing the need for drilling rigs and production platforms. The offshore contracts may help the South Korean shipyards recover from their worst year for new contracts since the 1970s. The Australian government gave environmental clearance to the Gorgon project after setting 28 additional conditions, environment minister Peter Garrett said yesterday. The Gorgon partners will make a development decision after they win production licenses and development approvals, Nicole Hodgson, a Chevron spokeswoman, said yesterday. Gorgon, about 80 miles northwest of Western Australia’s coast, is the biggest gas field discovered in Australia with an estimated 40 trillion cubic feet of resources together with other fields in the area, according to the project’s Web site. The Korean shipyards said they submitted bids earlier this year for the Gorgon gas facilities that can process 15 million metric tons a year. Gorgon is expected to make the first shipments from the project in 2014, according to San Ramon, California-based Chevron. Gorgon has contracts to supply fuel to China, India and Japan and is among more than 12 LNG projects in the region competing for Asian buyers. Chevron, Shell and Exxon plan to sell LNG valued at about $251 billion to customers in the Asia-Pacific region over the next 20 years, according to Australian Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson. Brazil is also developing a deepwater offshore area that contains the biggest oil field discovery in the Americas in three decades. Petrobras, Brazil’s state-run oil company, will seek more than 240 drill ships, tankers, production platforms and supply vessels as part of its five-year $174.4 billion investment plan, Chief Financial Officer Almir Barbassa said earlier this year. Source : The Motorship

New ROV Training School Opens The increasing need for qualified and competent ROV pilots has seen the rise of schools around the world. A new ADAS accredited ROV training school has opened up in South Australia called South Australian Underwater Training



School (SAUTS). This new school sets a new standard as the only ADAS accredited ROV school in Australia. SAUTS isn’t new to the commercial underwater industry having been in the commercial diver training business since 1996. Managing Director Martin Phillips, whose diving carrier began in 1968, saw the need for a new ROV training school. Opening with its first class in April 2009, SAUTS had five students from across Australia with various trade backgrounds. The facility is set in Burra, South Australia. Hi-tech classrooms, barge and underwater structures offer students a well-rounded education. Certain requirements are placed on ADAS accredited training schools such as 10 hours ROV piloting time. SAUTS ensures all students that pass through the program receive at least fifteen hours with eighteen to twenty-three more likely. An instructor directly supervises most hours. Classes are limited to eight students keeping the instructor to student ratio low. Training includes

technical ROV training, sonar, positioning, maintenance and piloting in various scenarios. SeaBotix Australia employee David Whillas has more than ten years of offshore and inshore ROV experience both with WROVs and MiniROVs. David was on site as the primary instructor for the three-week course. Students had the opportunity to pilot a Seaeye Falcon with manipulator as well as a four and five thruster SeaBotix LBV. Students were expected to become proficient operators of all the ROV systems in various conditions. Tasks were given to navigate using sonar, interpret sonar imagery, identify the ROVs location using the positioning system, pilot the ROV smoothly and use the manipulators. David comments “the students performed well with all systems and learned quickly”. Students commented, “Plenty of 1 on 1 with the instructor, very impressed with the facility” and “Thoroughly enjoyable, loved piloting both ROVs”. With the successful completion of the first class there are three to four scheduled per year depending on demand. Students are required to have some form of relative experience/background and should contact [email protected] for more information. Source : utcsa.com.au

The world’s ship delivery pioneer, Redwise, provides a top quality take-over, sailover, hand-over

service for every type of vessel, wherever you need it delivered

GLOBAL SHIP DELIVERY & CREWING

[email protected]

FUTURE PIPE INDUSTRIES SECURES ORDERS IN CROATIA

Future Pipe Industries B.V. in Hardenberg, The Netherlands, part of the Dubai based Future Pipe Industries Group, the global leader in the fiberglass pipe industry, has announced that it has secured orders to supply Glass Fiber Epoxy (GRE) pipe systems for three new buildings in Croatia with a total contract value of EUR 400,000.00. Future Pipe Industries B.V. (FPI), of The Netherlands will be supplying its GRE pipe systems to ship yards Brodosplit and Brodotrogir in Croatia. At Brodosplit it concerns the supply of GRE for the ballast system of hull number 468 and Brodotrogir awarded the supply of FPI’s GRE pipe systems for the ballast system of both hull number 323 and 324.



Glass Fiber Epoxy (GRE) is the ideal material for this marine application and it provides a number of distinct competitive advantages; GRE is non corrosive, light weight, easy to install, has a low life cycle cost and has a competitive material cost which results in low total installation costs. FPI will provide its dedicated product for the marine market, Fibermar, which is specially designed for applications inside (ballast) tanks, with vacuum conditions inside the pipe and a maximum head of 50 meters of water outside on the pipe. The Brodotrogir hull numbers are being built for Swedish ship owner Laurin Maritime, a very well established operator of modern tankers trading mainly from the US Gulf to the eastern seaboards of North and South America as well as transatlantic to Europe. Laurin Maritime's core fleet consists of modern 45,000 dwt IMO II / III chemical class tankers, which can switch between clean petroleum products and large parcels of chemicals to provide maximum flexibility of operation. Marc Groenewoud, Unit Manager Shipbuilding of FPI said: “Both Brodotrogir and Brodosplit are long term customers of FPI and we are delighted that they have entrusted us again with the provision of our GRE pipe systems for the building of these three new vessels.” He added: “The marine sector is an increasingly important market segment for FPI and we are proud to be able to work with our esteemed clients in providing reliable, high quality pipe solutions as well as our project management services.”

DMT Emerald Installs Suction Pile, Manifold, and Tree

Deep Marine Technology’s DMT Emerald has installed a purpose built suction pile, subsea manifold, and tree for a major oil company using its 100-ton Multi-purpose Tower. The suction pile – which is more than 35 ft. tall and 15 ft. in diameter – was successfully over boarded in 4 to 6 ft. seas and installed in under 12 hours. The pile was landed at the desired location in 5,000 fsw, and completed in 66% of the allotted time given by the client. The DMT Emerald crew additionally installed a manifold and set a tree. The manifold weighing over 35 tons was successfully installed onto the suction pile ahead of schedule and without any issues. The tree weighing 48 tons and measuring 15 x 15 x 20 ft. tall was set via keel haul transferred to the 100-ton Multi-purpose Tower. It was set in approximately 10 hours from water to landed, ahead of client expectations. Source : seadiscovery

China Shipping Container Posts Loss on Trade Slump



China Shipping Container Lines Co., the country’s second-biggest cargo-box carrier, fell to a first- half loss after the global financial crisis pummeled shipping demand and rates. The 3.42 million yuan ($500,000) loss compared with a profit of 692.3 million yuan a year earlier, the Shanghai-based company said in a statement to the city’s stock exchange today, citing international accounting standards. The company said it cut operating costs by 30 percent. The shipping line carried 11 percent fewer containers in the period as U.S. and European consumers pared spending on Chinese-made furniture and clothes amid the recession. Neptune Orient Lines Ltd. and Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. have also posted losses this year as lines lay up vessels and combine routes in a bid to push up rates. China Shipping Container carried a total of 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units in the first half. Asia-Europe volumes fell 20 percent, while revenue dropped 71 percent. Transpacific cargos slumped 17 percent, with revenue declining 45 percent. The shipping line rose 1.2 percent to 5.03 yuan in Shanghai trading before the earnings release. Its Hong Kong-listed shares lost 1.9 percent to HK$3.09. Source: Bloomberg

The Posh Viking seen towing Semi-Submersible Rig Kantan #3 in South China Sea to new location Friday Aug. 28 2009 position :Lat.: 21 20.0N Long: 114 59.00E.

Photo : Capt. Charles D. Miller - www.tugboatphotos.com (c)

Technip to replace Apache Technip has announced that its long-standing pipelay vessel Apache is to be replaced, resulting in a new vessel: Apache II.

Apache, which has played a major role in delivering the pipelay infrastructure of the North Sea over the last 30 years, is one of Technip’s key subsea assets. In August Apache ceased operations to begin this programme that will involve the complete replacement of the ship. Technip recently purchased North Ocean 103, which is currently being built at a shipyard in Spain, and will be used for new Apache II. Apache’s high-performance existing pipelay equipment will be transferred onto the new ship at Technip’s construction yard in Pori, Finland.



Apache installed its last pipeline at the end of July for the E-On Babbage project. To mark the occasion, an event was held at Technip’s spoolbase in Evanton, UK. Technip staff, suppliers and vessel personnel turned out to celebrate the vessel’s achievements and to say farewell. To date, Apache, which was built in Galveston, Texas in 1979, has completed over 400 pipelay projects, for the most part involving rigid steel pipe. The vessel, specialized in the reel-lay method, was the first in the world to install rigid pipe-in-pipe for the Esso Australia Bass Strait project. A world record was also achieved in 1998 for the installation of rigid pipe in the Gulf of Mexico. Ron Cookson, Managing Director of Technip’s operation center in Aberdeen, United Kingdom said: “Apache is a very well respected and hardworking vessel, and we are extremely grateful for the service she has provided. However, we very much look forward to the arrival of Apache II." Source : Offshore Shipping Online

Boonsweg 19, 3274 LH P.O.Box 5023, 3247 ZJ Heinenoord – The Netherlands T +31 (0) 186-603333 F +31 (0) 186-603619 E [email protected] www.tenwolde.com

ITC’s TYPHOON seen arriving in Harwich Photo : Andrew Moors – RNLI Harwich lifeboat (c)

GOGL - Sale of vessel and long term time charter contract



Golden Ocean Group Limited has agreed to get released from the bare boat agreement for the 1994 built Panamax vessel "M/V Golden Joy" against purchasing the vessel for $10.7 million. Simultaneously the Company has agreed to sell the vessel for net sale proceeds of $16 million. Delivery to the buyers will take place in October 2009. The transaction will give a negative result of $4.1 million, but will have a positive cash effect of $3.8 million. The result will be recorded in the fourth quarter of 2009. The vessel is due for dry docking this year but is sold on an "as is" basis. Golden Joy is the last of the 5 vessels under the deal with Clipper Bulk Shipping Ltd. Golden Ocean is further pleased to advise that the Company has utilized the recent strength in the dry bulk market and fixed out on time charter the Panamax vessel M/V Mulberry Paris (76,450 dwt, built 2004). The vessel will be delivered to the Charterer at the end of this month for a two years time charter contract. The agreed daily time charter hire is $18.100 less 5% total commission. The vessel is on a long term time charter contract to Golden Ocean at $9.500 per day. The agreed time charter agreement further reduces the company's cash break even costs for its open tonnage and secures $5 million in additional net income over the charter period. Both transactions are in line with the outlined strategy communicated during the last quarterly report, where the Company stated that it will continue to add cover for open capacity. Further the Company will focus on a modern and homogenous fleet with lowest possible running costs. Source: Golden Ocean Group

The JUMBO JUBILEE seen departing from Schiedam bound for Brazil Photo : Bert Bot (c)

Uganda to open container terminal in Mombasa

Uganda may soon open a dry dock and container terminal in Mombasa. This follows fruitful discussions between the Governments of Kenya and Uganda to exchange land on reciprocal basis in Kampala. This was disclosed by Uganda Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of foreign affairs Amb James Mugume who called on Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director early this week. He said Presidents Mwai Kibaki and Yoweri Museveni had agreed to have a one-stop centre in Kampala for Kenyan business community in exchange of land to set up a terminal to handle Ugandan goods in Mombasa. MOMBASA_PORT.jpgRepresenting the MD, Capt. Twalib Khamis, the Harbour Master echoed this effort saying it will compliment the KPA's measures to decongest the port and enhance efficiency in cargo handling. He noted that congestion at port was a thing of the past while ships waiting period had reduced from 6 days to 5hours or less.



"Container Freights Stations have helped in creating space for the port with cargo volume growing at 3 -4 percent compared to last year," he said. KPA is currently involved in major expansion programme to enhance the capacity of the port of Mombasa with plans at advanced stage to construct the second container terminal, and dredging of the channel to 15meters to accommodate bigger vessels. Expected to be complete by 2013, the second terminal will double the capacity of the port and handle over 1.2 Million TEUs. The Ugandan delegation is in the country to look at the suitability of the proposed land parcels, their sizes, value and future developmental plans. Mugume said, "we are here to identify land, their suitability and value and proceed to finalize the exchange between the two nations,'. He said the success of the proposed venture to be on a 3.075 acre land, to be leased for 99 years at makande will improve the long term relations between the two countries. The plot is jointly owned by Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya the Railways Corporations. He also said the establishment of the dry dock and container terminal in Mombasa was timely, given that Ugandan goods constituted 75% of transit goods passing through the port and the terminal will help decongest the port and also clear Ugandan goods in time. Source: kbc.co.ke

Mediterranean Shipping Company hikes Atlantic rates

The MCS Malta at Gibraltar anchorage while passing the Gibraltar rock. Photo : Frans Verbrugge - Coastal Guardian (c)

Mediterranean Shipping Company will put a General Rate Increase into effect Oct. 1 on all tariff and contract cargo from the United States and Mexico to Western Mediterranean destinations. The increase will be $100 per 20-foot equivalent unit and $200 per 40-foot equivalent unit. MSC is a privately-owned company based in Geneva operating 413 vessels with an intake capacity of 1,522,974 TEUs. Source: joc.com

New cruise ferry terminal should be built near city center of Latvian capital

The Head of the Freeport of Riga Leonids Loginovs believes, that the new cruise ship terminal should be built on the right bank of the River Daugava, opposite the Riga city center, writes LETA. As reported, the Deputy Mayor of Riga and Chairman of the Board of the Freeport of Riga Ainars Slesers (Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way) has underlined the need to improve the current passenger terminal at the Port of Riga or construct a new one which would be farther from the city center.



As Loginovs explains, the new terminal would service the passengers who arrive with cruise ships in Riga. Loginovs admits that for now it is difficult to give any precise estimates of the project as more planning needs to be carried out. "But it is clear that we do need such a terminal," the Head of the Freeport said. Yesterday Slesers emphasized that it is important for Riga to attract larger cruise ships, whose passengers are ready to spend their money in the Latvian capital. ''I am happy that two large passenger ships docked at the Port of Riga yesterday [August 25], but there should be more. We are working on this,'' said Slesers. ''Cruise ships should dock at the city center, so its passengers could easily reach the city. However, other ships should dock further away,'' said Slesers. Slesers pointed out that the possibility of constructing a new passenger terminal is being discussed, and that a suitable place is being looked for. ''We will soon come out with specific proposals,'' the vice mayor promised. Source : The Baltic Course

Search for Replacement Ferry for Tonga NZAID, in conjunction with AusAID and the Government of Tonga, seek proposals from maritime charter operators for the provision of an interim charter ferry service within the Kingdom of Tonga. The ferry will provide a regular, reliable and safe service covering the carriage of freight and passengers within the islands of Tonga. It is intended that a suitable BIMCO time charter contract form will be used for the basis of the charter agreement. All crewing and operational costs (excluding fuel) shall be covered by the respondent's proposed daily charter rate. The charter period is expected to be up to 18 months in order to provide ongoing island services until the replacement new build vessel (currently under construction) is delivered. The deadline for the submission of proposals is 3 pm, Thursday, 10th of September 2009 and details of the requirements are located at the GETS (NZ Government Tendering) website www.gets.govt.nz

OLDIE – FROM THE SHOEBOX

Oilpainting of Ms Alhena from the Rotterdam Company van Nieveld Goudriaan sailing near the coast of Rio de Janeiro. She was build in 1941, but directly taken over by German administration. After the war she came back and sailed for NIGOCO till 1968 on the route from Rotterdam to South Amerika with cargo and about 45 passengers together with

her sister ms Alnati.

www.hansbreeman.nl

…. PHOTO OF THE DAY …..



The "Celebrity Equinox" in Geiranger - Norway Photo : Bjørn Kalden ©

The compiler of the news clippings disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided

through this free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information. If you don’t like to receive this bulletin anymore kindly send an e-mail with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line to

[email protected] receipt of this e-mail I will remove you from the distribution list soon as possible

DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – … COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS...

Documents

Transcript of DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2009 – … COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS...